ITB - Aerial Spraying for Mosquito Control for Harris County

Harris County, Texas issued an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for aerial spraying services to control mosquito populations throughout the county, with a proposal due date of March 9, 2026, and contract commencement on approximately March 1, 2026, for an initial one-year term with four optional renewal periods subject to Commissioners Court approval. The procurement seeks qualified, licensed vendors to provide comprehensive mosquito abatement utilizing an integrated pest management approach that includes surveillance and monitoring, larval control, adult mosquito control via aerial spraying, and data collection and reporting across designated treatment areas estimated up to 1,000,000 acres, with no purchase order issued for fewer than 50,000 acres. Required vendor qualifications include possession of a valid Texas Commercial Pesticide Applicator License, a minimum of three years of professional mosquito control experience, properly trained and certified personnel, and fully operational multi-engine aircraft equipped for ultra-low volume insecticide dispersal capable of responding to emergency calls within twenty-four hours and commencing operations within seventy-two hours of notification. The specifications mandate specific chemical requirements including primary product Dibrom (Naled) at 0.75 ounces per acre and secondary product Imperium at 0.5 ounces per acre, with all aircraft and personnel complying with FAA, EPA, Texas Department of Environmental Quality, and Texas Department of Public Health regulations. Pricing shall be all-inclusive with unit pricing governing in cases of discrepancy, subject to annual CPI adjustments capped at four percent, and Harris County may award to a single vendor or multiple vendors designated as "Primary" and "Secondary" based on lowest and best bid considering price, vendor capacity and skill, time constraints, and quality of performance. Award determination will be based on lowest and best offer in accordance with Texas law, with evaluation criteria including vendor capacity, technical qualifications, pricing, and performance history, and all contracts must be approved by Commissioners Court and signed by the County Judge before becoming binding.

Harris County has not designated this procurement as a set-aside for disadvantaged or minority-owned businesses; however, the County strives to engage M/WBEs and expects vendors to make good faith efforts to meet or exceed contract participation goals for subcontractors. All bidders must comply with Harris County's minimum wage policy requiring contractors and subcontractors to pay workers a minimum wage of $21.65 per hour, adjusted annually using the MIT Living Wage Calculator, and must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate per project, Automobile Liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit, Umbrella/Excess Liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence/aggregate, and Workers' Compensation Employers' Liability of $1,000,000 per accident and disease per employee, with all policies issued by companies with an A.M. Best rating of at least A-VII and naming Harris County as an additional insured on a primary/non-contributory basis. Bidders must submit required documentation including a Bid Acknowledgement form, Tax Residence Certification confirming residency status under Texas Government Code 2252.001, a Subcontractor Listing Form identifying all proposed subcontractors, and Texas Certificate of Interested Parties (Form 1295), along with compliance certifications regarding debarment status and the Harris County Minimum Wage Policy. No incumbent vendors or current contractors were identified in the procurement documents, and no specific budget range or contract value was disclosed in the available specifications. Vendors must provide comprehensive written certification upon completion of spraying operations including GPS mapping, flight documentation, automated spray monitoring records, and compliance attestations, with noncompliance potentially resulting in ten percent deductions per acre.